Adolfo Odnoposoff (Buenos Aires, 22 February 1917 – Denton, Texas, 13 March 1992) was an Argentine-born-and-raised cellist of Russian ancestry who performed in concerts for 5 decades in South, Central, and North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Israel, and the former USSR. He had performed as principal cellist in the Israel Philharmonic and many of the important orchestras of Latin America. He had soloed with major orchestras under conductors that include Arturo Toscanini, Erich Kleiber, Fritz Busch, Juan José Castro, Rafael Kubelik, Victor Tevah, Luis Herrera de la Fuente, Carlos Chavez, Paul Kletzki, Luis Ximénez Caballero (es), Willem van Otterloo, Sir John Barbirolli, Eduardo Mata, Antal Doráti, Jorge Sarmientos (es), Erich Kleiber, George Singer (1908–1980), Ricardo del Carmen (1937-2003), Anshel Brusilow, Pau Casals and Enrique Gimeno. He also performed a Khachaturian work under the direction of Khachaturian.
Biography
Career Formal education Beginning around 1930, Odnoposoff studied with Emanuel Feuermann and Paul Grümmer at the Music High School in Berlin (die Hochschule für Musik zu Berlin, which, as of 2001, has been known as Berlin University of the Arts). 1930 coincided with the coup d'état in Argentina. In 1932, Odnoposoff moved to Paris, entering École Normale de Musique, where, in 1935, he earned a concert and teaching diploma. While there, he studied cello with Diran Alexanian, a colleague of Pablo Casals.
Israel In 1936, Odnoposoff, seeking refuge from the Third Reich because he was a Jew, moved to Tel Aviv, where he became a founding member of the Israel Philharmonic for its inaugural 1936–1937 season. He had performed with the orchestra, then called the Palestine Symphony Orchestra, in various roles, including that of principal cellist and soloist. The orchestra was founded by Bronisław Huberman, a cousin once removed of Odnoposoff's future wife, Berthe Huberman.
Peru and Chile From 1938 to 1941, Odnoposoff was principal cellist with The National Symphony Orchestra of Peru. In 1940, he was a founding member of the Chile Cuarteto de Cuerdas (Chile String Quartet) — with Willie McDermott (violin), Raúl Martínez (viola), Fredy Wang (Alfredo Wang; 1918–2004) (violin), sponsored by The Institute of Musical Extension at the University of Chile. He held that chair until 1944.
Cuba From 1944 to 1958, he was principal cellist of the Orquesta Filarmónica de La Habana, when, then, was conducted by Erich Kleiber. Alexander Prilutchi (1913–2001) was concertmaster and, from 1945 to 1953, J. Wolfgang Granat (1918–1998) was first violist. Granat went to play viola with the Philadelphia Orchestra for 35 years, until he retired in 1991. In Havana, Odnoposoff had been a member of a trio of Sociedad de Música de Cámara (Chamber Music Society) — with Prilutchi and pianist Paquito Godino (né Francisco Jose Godino; 1919–1996). In January 1959, Fidel Castro's revolutionaries overtook Havana. Within 6 months, Castro became the new president and restructured Cuba as a communist state.
Mexico and Puerto Rico From 1958 to 1961, Odnoposoff was cellist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico. While in Mexico, he taught at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música. From 1964 to 1974, Odnoposoff, at the invitation of Pablo Casals, taught at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. For 10 years, he was head of the Cello Department and served as the right-hand man of Casals, director of the conservatory that he founded. Casals died on October 22, 1973.
United States During the 1975–1976 academic year, Odnoposoff became a visiting professor at the University of North Texas College of Music following an extensive tour of the Soviet Union — while still holding the post as Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. He and his wife soon became a full-time professors at North Texas. In 1977, his friend, Eduardo Mata became the conductor of the Dallas Symphony. Odnoposoff remained active teaching and concertizing until his retirement in 1988, whereupon North Texas awarded him Professor Emeritus status. His wife, Berthe, continued as a professor of music at North Texas until her retirement.
Legacy in Latin American classical music Odnoposoff was an influential exponent of Latin classical music, notably works by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Alberto Ginastera, Blas Galindo Dimas, Rodolfo Halffter. He presented numerous lectures, master classes, and concerts throughout the Western Hemisphere on that theme.
Personal life
Early life and family background Adolfo was one of three children born in Buenos Aires to the marriage of Mauricio (altnernate spelling: Moisés) Odnoposoff and Juana (née Veinstien; alternate spelling Weinstien).
Alolfo's brother, Ricardo Odnoposoff (de) (1914–2004), was the former concertmaster of Vienna Philharmonic.
Adolfo's sister, Nélida Odnoposoff (born 1919), was a critically acclaimed Argentine concert pianist whose European debut was in 1935 in Berlin. Growing up in Buenos Aires, she had been a protégée of the Argentine pianist Edmundo Piazzini (es), and in Berlin, she studied with Hansi Freudberg. Nélida concertized until the late 1950s. During the early 1940s, was associated with the Opera and Ballet of MontevideoThe Teatro Solís: 150 Years of Opera, Concert and Ballet in Montevideo, by Susana Salgado, Wesleyan University Press (2003); and had soloed with important orchestras of Latin America.Exploring the Musical Mind, by Jacob Kwalwasser (1894–1977), Coleman-Ross Co. (1955); Gran Enciclopedia Argentina (in vol. 6 of 8 vols.), Diego Abad de Santillán (ed.), Buenos Aires: Ediar (1956–1963); , Músicos exiliados del nazismo en la Argentina (1932–1943) , by Josefina Irurzun, Revista Brasileira de História das Religiões (journal), Vol. 5, No. 15, January 2013
Mauricio Odnoposoff had emigrated from Russia to Argentina with his father. When Ricardo, Adolfo, and Nélida were studying music in Germany, Mauricio and Juana Odnoposoff moved to Germany.
Marriage Adolfo met his wife, Berthe (né Huberman; born in Paris) in Cuba in 1941, when he was principal cellist with the Havana Symphony. Berthe was a young aspiring concert pianist. She is a first cousin once removed of the violinist Bronislaw Huberman and also the sister-in-law of Mexican poet Angelina Muñiz-Huberman, PhD.
Odnoposoff's wife, Berthe (also spelled Berte and Berta; née Huberman born in Paris on May 19, 1925) was a widely acclaimed piano virtuoso. Since 1941, when they met in Havana, until his retirement in 1988, she had been his accompanist and chief musical collaborator. In concerts and on recordings, they were often billed as a duo. Composers often inscribed dedications to both Adolfo and Berthe. She was also an influential piano pedagogue. She joined the faculty at the University of North Texas College of Music in 1976. She held a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences Degree, a Diploma in piano, and a Diploma in theory and harmony from the Ministry of Education, Havana, Cuba. She not only mentored aspiring performing artists at the conservatory and collegiate levels, she developed effective pedagogical approaches for gifted pianists at primary and secondary school ages. Berthe Huberman de Odnoposoff died on July 1, 2019, at the age of 94.
Adolfo, his wife, and his brother performed their final concert together in May 1987— and billed it as a farewell — playing Beethoven's Triple Concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra of Guatemala under the direction of Ricardo del Carmen.
Other information
Adolfo Odnoposoff maintained his Argentine citizenship; although, in 1977 Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe made him an honorary citizen of the State of Texas, and presented him a commemorative plaque.
The surname, Odnoposoff, has various spellings (typically "z" instead of "s" and "v" instead of "ff"). But under this particular spelling, the name faces extinction in the Western Hemisphere. Of the two males born to Mauricio and Juana Odnoposoff, (i) Ricardo Odnoposoff (de) and his wife Hilde had one daughter, Henriette Helene Odnoposoff, who, in 1978, married David Mark Hume (born 1952); (ii) Adolfo and Berthe had one daughter, Alina M. Odnoposoff (born 1954), who married Mark J. Heller (born 1954).
Musical output
Selected discography
Beethoven, Cello Sonata No. 1, in F Major, Op. 5, RCA Victor (Chile) (1945)Record Review: Discos-Radio, Revista Musical Chilena (chronicle) (), Vol. 1, No. 6, October 1945, pg. 41; Odnoposoff, cello; Elvira Savi (es) (1920–1913) The record also includes Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 8 in A Minor, performed by Rosita Renard
Alberto Ginastera, "Pampeana No. 2" for cello and piano, Op. 21, Victor (Argentina) 68 8047 (78 rpm) Odnoposoff, cello; Huberman, piano
At The Center, New York: Center For Inter-American Relations, 33- LP (1970); Side B Alberto Ginastera, "Pampeana No. 2" for cello and piano, Op. 21 Odnoposoff, cello; Huberman, piano Recorded on November 21, 1968
Saint-Saëns, "Allegro Appassionata," Op. 43, for cello and piano, Victor 68 8046 (1953) Granados, "Intermezzo" from the opera Goyescas Odnoposoff, cello; Huberman, piano
Cuban Contemporary Music, Panart Records (1954); Odnoposoff, cello, Huberman, pianist, José Ardévol, "Sonatina For Cello And Piano" a) "Andantino" b) "Slow-vivo" c) "Alegretto" Amadeo Roldán: Two Popular Songs a) "Cuban Point" b) "Vueltabajo Guajira" ("The Babbling Brook") Aurelio de la Vega, "Legend of Ariel Criollo" Pedro Menéndez, "Black Canto" String Orchestra of CMZ Radio, Havana, José Ardévol, conductor Harold Gramatges, "Serenade For String Orchestra" a) "Allegretto" b) "Andante Moderato" c) "Allegro" National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba conducted by Jean Constantinesco Live performance, Auditorium Theatre in 1960 John White, "Elegy"
In Memory of Pablo Casals, Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, 33- LP (1974); Unnamed composition of Pablo Casals Olga Iglesias, soprano; Emilio Belaval, tenor; Odnoposoff, cello; Huberman, piano, Jesús María Sanromá, piano
In Memory of Pablo Casals, Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, 33- LP (1975); , "Reverie," for cello and piano, Odnoposoff; cello, Huberman, piano Recorded 1974–1975 at the Ochoa and Echo Sound Studios, Puerto Rico
Aurelio de la Vega (de), Legend of the Creole Ariel (audiotape) (no date); Hans Moldenhauer Collection, Harvard University, Call No. MS Mus 261, Item 2091 Odnoposoff, cello; Huberman, piano Includes also Quintet for winds (1959), with the Westwood Woodwind Quintet Moldenhauer, Hans, collector. The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University
Third Music Festival of Caracas, digital files (WAV; 96–kHz, 24 bit) (works 1–3), (works 4–5), (work 4), (work 5), (work 5) Live performance, Third Music Festival of Caracas, Venezuela, May 12, 1966 Halffter: "Sonata," Op. 26 a) "Allegro deciso" b) "Tempo de siciliana" c) "Rondó: Allegro" Vega (de): "Legend of Ariel Criollo" Ginastera, "Pampeana No. 2" Odnoposoff, cello; Huberman, piano Sergio Cervetti (es), "Cinco Episodios Para Trio" ("Five Movements For Trio") Salas, "Trio" Op. 58 José Figueroa, violin; Odnoposoff, cello; Elias López, piano
Héctor Campos Parsi, "Serenade," for string trio, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña ICP MC-4, 33- LP (197?); , José Madera, violin; Guillermo Figueroa, viola; Odnoposoff, cello
Seis piezas breves (Six Short Pieces), Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña ICP C-8 (197?); , Luis Antonio Ramírez (1923–1995): "Sonata Elegiaca," for cello and piano Odnoposoff, cello; Huberman, piano Recorded July & August 1971 at the Ochoa Sound Studio Hector Campos Parsi: "Petroglifos," for violin, cello and piano José Figueroa, violin; Odnoposoff, cello; Jesús María Sanromá, piano Recorded in concert at the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, October 8, 1967
Adolfo Odnoposoff: Obras De Galindo-Halffter-Ponce-Revueltas-Sandi, Mexico: Musart MCD-3027, Serie SACM (es), 33- LP (1962); Side A